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Lipid Composition of Staphylococcus aureus and Its Derived L‐forms
Author(s) -
Hayami Masaaki,
Okabe Akinobu,
Kariyama Reiko,
Abe Masufumi,
Kanemasa Yasuhiro
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1979.tb00483.x
Subject(s) - cardiolipin , staphylococcus aureus , phospholipid , cholesterol , biology , composition (language) , bacteria , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , membrane , linguistics , genetics , philosophy
Two strains of Staphylococcus aureus (Newman and Tazaki) and their derived L‐forms were cultured in serum‐containing broth and the differences in their lipid compositions were analyzed. Cardiolipin accounted for more than 50% of the total phospholipid phosphorus in L‐forms, but for less than 25% in parent bacteria. The cardiolipin content of L‐forms was very high through all growth phases, although it increased gradually as growth proceeded. Significant amounts of cholesterol and its esters were present in parent strains and L‐forms, all of which incorporated serum cholesterol into the cell membrane. On the other hand, they could be detected in the L‐forms but not in the parent strains when they were cultured in serum‐free broth. To examine the ability of L‐forms to synthesize cholesterol, the cholesterol content of L‐forms cultured in serum‐free broth was compared with that of the medium. The results indicated that staphylococcal L‐forms could synthesize cholesterol and its esters. These differences in lipid composition suggested that modification of membrane lipids may occur as an adaptation‐al change in response to the disappearance of the cell wall.